LET’S HYGGE OCTOBER 2024

I hope this finds you well! I’m back now in Australia with our friendly goats. As we have borrowed a Billy goat from the local farmer and furthermore had two wild ones jump the fence, I knew we were having kids, I just wasn’t sure when. But we were lucky to witness two births during our first weekend back. The goats are incredible instinctive and manage to do everything with out help — it’s a little miracle to see those wobbly kids, already jumping around the next day. In the last three years we have gone from four goats to twenty. They are great at keeping the property free of weed and the grass short. I am sure they taste good too, but we havn’t reached that stage yet!

Spring has arrived, and I’ve been busy preparing the garden beds for seedlings. I’m making my newspaper pots again this year and I’ll show you how, below!

Also I share a staple in my fridge – the pickled cabbage, the captivating series “The Perfect Couple” and a wonderful book by Sophie Hansen.

I wish you a lovely month of October whether it is in the garden, kitchen or watching “The Perfect Couple”!

PICKLED CABBAGE WITH CELERY SEEDS

This recipe comes from my friend and chef, Michael Klausen. Ever since we made it together, it’s become a staple in my fridge. I love using it to spice up salads, as a lunch supplement, or with pulled pork. It also makes a wonderful gift for friends and family!

If you’re unsure whether it’ll suit your taste buds, you might want to try halving the recipe at first!

ALL YOU NEED

1. Combine vinegar, sugar, celery seeds, onion, and capsicum in a large saucepan. Boil for 15 minutes, then add water.
2. In a non-metallic container, layer cabbage, salt, pepper, and brine until all ingredients are used. Weigh down the cabbage with a plate to keep it submerged.
3. Cover and let pickle for at least 24 hours at room temperature, or 48 hours in the fridge. It keeps for weeks in the cupboard and indefinitely in the fridge!

Again this year I’ve been enjoying making newspaper pots using my wooden pot maker. If you don’t have one you can use a small glass. When planting, the newspaper dissolves over time. It’s rewarding to see the sprouts grow stronger each day! I’ve started with a variation of beans, corn, eggplants, capsicum and cucamelons, which are a grape size mix between cucumber and melon. I came across them in a community garden in Sydney and been wanting to try them ever since. I will keep you posted how I go!

Creating newspaper pots is a simple and eco-friendly way to start your seedlings! Here’s a step-by-step tutorial:

1. Take a few sheets of newspaper and cut them into rectangles. A good size is about 10 x 20 centimetres.
2. Lay one rectangle of newspaper flat on a surface. Place the glass or pot maker in one end of the newspaper and start wrapping the paper around.
3. Leave a little overhang at the bottom (about 3 centimeters) to create the base of the pot.
4. With the glass still inside, fold the overhanging newspaper up to form a base. Carefully slide the glass or pot maker out of the newspaper pot. You should have a sturdy little pot ready for planting!